Polylactide hydrosol and articles made therefrom

ABSTRACT

A polylactide hydrosol polymer formulations suitable for thin film articles and methods of making the thin film articles are provided. The formulations and methods can be use to make articles such as gloves, condoms, catheters and the like using dip forming, and various casting processes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention generally relates to polylactide hydrosols suitable formaking thin film articles such as gloves, condoms, catheters and thelike using dip forming, and various casting processes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Biodegradable polymers have been commercially available for a number ofyears. Among these polymers, polylactide (PLA) also known as polylacticacid has been used as an environmentally friendly biodegradablealternative to petroleum based polymers such as polyvinyl chloride(PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high impact polystyrene (HIPS),polyethylene (PE), and polypropylene (PP), in applications such as rigidand flexible packaging, candy wraps, shrink labels, and form-fill sealextrusions. Further, polylactide has been extensively studied in medicalimplants, suture, and drug delivery systems due to its biodegradabilityand has been approved for use in various medical devices. Differentthermoplastic processes such as extrusion, blow molding, injectionmolding, and spinning processes are used to make these products.However, the manufacturing cost of thin articles having complex shapesand sizes, such as gloves, condoms, catheters, using PLA has beenprohibitably high, or the PLA thin articles were not substantiallybiodegradable due to non-biodegradable ingredients in PLA formulations.

Polylactic acid polymers can be manufactured from renewable resources,unlike conventional, synthetic petroleum-based polymers, since thelactate from which it is ultimately produced can be derived fromfermentation of agricultural by-products such as corn starch or otherstarch-rich, substances like sugar or wheat. Lactate which is also knownas Lactic acid is a natural molecule that is widely employed in foods asa preservative and a flavoring agent. It is the main building block inthe chemical synthesis of the polylactide family of polymers. Althoughit can be synthesized chemically, Lactic acid is procured principally bymicrobial fermentation of sugars such as glucose or hexose. These sugarfeed stocks can be derived from potato skins, corn, wheat, and dairywastes.

Lactic acid exists essentially in two stereoisomeric forms, which giverise to several morphologically distinct polymers: D-polylactic acid,L-polylactic acid, D,L-polyactic acid, meso-polylactic acids, and anycombinations thereof. D-polylactic acid and L-polylactic acid arestereoregular polymers. D,L-polylactic acid is a racemic polymerobtained from a mixture of D- and L-lactic acid, and meso-polylacticacid can be obtained from D,L-lactide. The polymers obtained from theoptically active D and L monomers are semicrystalline materials, but theoptically inactive D,L-polylactic acid is substantially amorphous.

Degradation of PLA occurs in two stages. First, the ester groups aregradually hydrolyzed by water to form lactic acid and other smallmolecules, and then these products are decomposed by microorganisms inthe environment. In addition, disposal of PLA products is easier thanthat of traditional polymers, because polylactic acid incineratescleanly with lower energy yield, thereby permitting a higher incineratorfacility throughput. Further, PLA contains no chlorine or aromaticgroups, so PLA burns much like paper, cellulose, and/orcarbohydrates—generating few combustion by-products.

Disposable gloves are widely used by members of the medical community,the scientific community, and the industrial community to protect thewearer from chemical exposure, mechanical abrasion, environmentalhazards, biohazard contamination and to prevent transmission of diseaseor contaminants. Health care providers frequently wear disposable gloveswhile performing surgery or other medical or dental procedures such aspatient examinations; thus, the gloves are often also referred to asdisposable examination gloves or disposable surgical gloves. Thedisposable gloves are impermeable to biological fluids, tissues andsolids produced by the body or other contaminants (human or animal)advantageously protecting the wearer from fomitic (transmission byobjects that harbor pathogenic organisms) transmission of pathogens anddisease.

Also, disposable gloves are worn by individuals who wish to protecttheir hands from various chemicals, materials and objects which mayirritate, damage or dry out the users skin and which may be harmful orpotentially harmful if allowed to contact or permeate the dermalbarrier. These gloves may be worn in the occupational setting byscientists, cleaning service workers, food handlers, law enforcementworkers, beauticians or other workers having special protection needs.Thus, disposable gloves may also be referred to as protective gloves orindustrial gloves. Also some disposable gloves are considered reusablegloves because they can be used multiple times prior to disposal. Forexample, homemakers may reuse the same pair of household gloves toprotect their hands from harsh cleaning solutions or just while washingdishes. Likewise, gardeners or plant service workers may reuse gloveswhen spraying plants with fungicides or other garden chemicals.

As is known in the art, disposable gloves (and reusable gloves as wellas other flexible elastomer articles) are thin and flexible and aremanufactured from a variety of polymeric materials herein throughoutreferred to as “elastomer(s)” or “elastomer material(s)” or “rawmaterial(s)”. These elastomers may be considered a natural rubber aswith natural rubber latex (NRL) or a synthetic rubber, or a plastic andinclude, but are not limited to, a synthetic polyisoprene, a chloroprene(including Neoprene-homopolymer of the conjugated diene chloroprene), apolyurethane (PU), a polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a styrene butadienestyrene (SBS), a styrene isoprene styrene (SIS), a silicone, a butadienemethylmethacrylate, an acrylonitrile, a styrene ethylene butylenestyrene (SEBS), an acrylate-based hydrogel, any other elastomer that canbe suspended into an emulsion, any other elastomer that is suspendable,soluble or miscible in a solution or plastisol, and combinationsthereof.

Regardless of the type of end use application and/or specificthermoplastic used, elastomeric gloves are typically thrown away after asingle use, and therefore, a significant amount of waste is generated.

Importantly, many of the polymers utilized in manufacturing disposablegloves are petroleum based and resist environmental degradation. Indeed,the environmental impact of nonbiodegradable plastic waste is a growingconcern and alternative disposal methods for such plastics are limited.For example, incineration of synthetic plastics generates toxicemissions and satisfactory landfill sites are becoming increasinglimited.

Further, petroleum resources are finite. Indeed, as petroleum reservesdecrease in abundance, the raw material and production costs associatedwith the manufacture of such nonbiodegradable, thermoplastic gloves willincrease accordingly. In addition, government regulations may increasedisposal and recycling costs for nonbiodegradable plastics toaccommodate landfilling and/or environmental impact resulting from useof such materials.

Biodegradable disposable gloves are only very generally known in theart. In particular, PLA is more expensive than many petroleum-derivedcommodity plastics, and, as such, use of PLA for disposable medicaland/or industrial gloves is cost prohibitive—especially given the sheernumber of disposable gloves utilized, for instance, in hospitals andclinics. Further, carcinogenicity and toxicity concerns related to theuse of certain plasticizers have previously taught against use of PLApolymers in the production of disposable medical gloves.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,393,614 to Eichelbaum discloses a disposable,loose-fitting glove with pockets for carrying an item such as a tamponor sanitary napkin from a patient. While the glove is recited to bebiodegradable in theory, no material of construction or degradabilityspecifications are disclosed or suggested. Indeed, the '614 patent doesnot enable or provide a description of the biodegradable materials ormethods of construction/manufacturing considered within the scope of theinvention.

U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0207282 assigned to the presentassignee discloses a polylactic acid glove and method of making thesame, the teachings and disclosures of which is hereby incorporated byreference in their entireties to the extent not inconsistent with thepresent disclosure.

The invention provides improved biodegradable thin articles such aselastomeric gloves and methods of making the same. These and otheradvantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features,will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Improved biodegradable polylactide (PLA) thin articles made from PLAhydrosols and method of making the same using dip forming and rotationalcasting type processes are provided. A ‘green’ dispersion such as awaterborne dispersion or a hydrosol can allow for elimination of the useof organic solvents and provide manufacturing processes that areenvironmentally friendly.

In one aspect, the invention provides a glove that includes at least onelayer of an elastomeric material. The elastomeric material includes apolylactic acid polymer and a non-ionic surfactant. In one embodiment,the glove is a biodegradable glove comprising a plurality of layers ofan elastomeric material, wherein each of the layers of the elastomericmaterial includes the polylactic acid polymer and the non-ionicsurfactant. In other embodiments, the glove is a disposable medicalglove.

The polylactic acid polymer in the elastomeric material is selected fromthe group consisting of D polylactic acid, L polylactic acid, D,Lpolylactic acid, meso polylactic acid, and any combinations thereof. Theelastomeric material can further include a biodegradable polymer resinselected from the group consisting of homopolymers, block copolymer,graft copolymer, random copolymer polyblend and combinations thereof,wherein the polyblend is selected from the group consisting ofpolyglycolic acid, polycaprolactone, polyhydroxybutyrate, aliphaticpolyesters, polyalkylene esters, polyester amides, polyvinyl esters,polyester carbonates, polyvinyl alcohols, polyanhydrides,polysaccharides, and combinations thereof.

In one embodiment, the non-ionic surfactant is an Octyl phenolethoxylate. In such embodiments, the elastomeric material can includethe polylactic acid polymer between about 50%-99% by weight and theOctyl phenol ethoxylate between about 1%-50% by weight.

In other embodiments, the non-ionic surfactant comprises a polyethyleneglycol. The non-ionic surfactant can further include an Octyl phenolethoxylate in addition to the polyethylene glycol.

In some embodiments, the elastomeric material can further include aplasticizer. The plasticizer can be selected from the group consistingof a polyethylene glycol, a polypropylene glycol, a fatty acid ester, acitric acid ester, a lactide monomer, an epoxidised oil, an adipateester, an azealate ester, an acetylated coconut oil, an Octyl phenolethoxylate, and any combinations thereof.

In embodiments, wherein the elastomeric material includes the polylacticacid polymer and an Octyl phenol ethoxylate, the Octyl phenol ethoxylateprovides a dual function of the non-ionic surfactant and theplasticizer. Wherein the elastomeric material further includes apolyethylene glycol, each of the Octyl phenol ethoxylate and thepolyethylene glycol provides the dual function of the non-ionicsurfactant and the plasticizer.

In some embodiments, the elastomeric material is formed from a hydrosolincluding the polylactic acid polymer and the non-ionic surfactant;wherein the hydrosol further includes at least one of a defoaming agent,a cross-linking agent, a chain extender, an aging and hydrolyticstabilizer for PLA, a flavoring component, an antimicrobial agent, adetackifying agent, a botanical extract, a donning enhancing agent, acolorant component, and a therapeutic component.

In another aspect, the invention provides a method of making a thinarticle. The method includes steps of preparing a hydrosol including apolylactide polymer and forming a thin article using the hydrosol.

In one embodiment, the step of preparing a hydrosol involves preparing apolylactic acid polymer powder, preparing a non-ionic surfactant, anddispersing the polylactic acid polymer powder and the non-ionicsurfactant in water to form a hydrosol. The preparation of a polylacticacid polymer powder can involve grinding polylactic acid polymer pelletsinto powder having an average particle size less than 1000 microns.Grinding of polylactic acid polymer pellets can be performed viacryogenic milling, ambient milling, jet milling, or micro grinding. Thedispersion can be prepared by mixing the polylactic acid polymer powder,the non-ionic surfactant and water using a high shear blender,rotor/stator assembly or a homogenizer.

In another embodiment, a plasticizer is dispersed in water with thepolylactic acid polymer powder and the non-ionic surfactant to form ahydrosol.

In one embodiment, the step of preparing a hydrosol comprises dispersinga polylactic acid polymer powder and an Octyl phenol ethoxylate in waterto form a hydrosol, wherein the hydrosol includes between about 30-40%by weight of the polylactic acid polymer powder, between about 0.3-3% byweight of the Octyl phenol ethoxylate, and between about 60-70% byweight of water. The step of forming a thin article can involve castinga film using the hydrosol, drying at a temperature between about 65°C.-90° C. to evaporate water from the hydrosol, and fusing at atemperature between about 125° C.-200° C. to form a rigid film.

In another embodiment, the step of preparing a hydrosol comprisesdispersing a polylactic acid polymer powder and an Octyl phenolethoxylate in water to form a hydrosol, wherein the hydrosol includesbetween about 20-40% by weight of the polylactic acid polymer powder,between about 5-20% by weight of the Octyl phenol ethoxylate, andbetween about 40-70% by weight of water. The step of forming a thinarticle can involve heating a glove former to a temperature betweenabout 60° C.-75° C., dipping the pre-warmed glove former into thehydrosol, drying the hydrosol deposited on the glove former at atemperature between about 65° C.-90° C. to evaporate water, and fusingat a temperature between about 125° C.-200° C. to form an elastomericglove. In some embodiments, the step of forming a thin article furtherincludes repeating dipping the glove former in a hydrosol after dryingand before fusing to form a second layer, and repeating drying toevaporate water from the second layer, wherein the elastomeric gloveincludes two or more elastomeric layers. In such embodiment, the gloveformer deposited with the hydrosol and dried can be dipped in a secondhydrosol that has a different formulation than the hydrosol depositedfirst, wherein the elastomeric glove formed includes two or more layers,each layer having a different elastomeric formulation than the otherlayer.

In yet another aspect, the invention provides a polylactic acid polymerhydrosol. The hydrosol includes a polylactic acid polymer powder and anon-ionic surfactant, wherein the polylactic acid polymer powder and thenon-ionic surfactant is dispersed in water.

In one embodiment, the non-ionic surfactant is an Octyl phenolethoxylate, and the hydrosol includes the polylactic acid polymer powderbetween about 30-40% by weight, the Octyl phenol ethoxylate betweenabout 0.3-3% by weight, and water between about 60-70% by weight.

In another embodiment, the non-ionic surfactant is an Octyl phenolethoxylate, and the hydrosol includes the polylactic acid polymer powderbetween about 20-40% by weight, the Octyl phenol ethoxylate betweenabout 5-20% by weight, and water between about 40-70% by weight.

In yet another embodiment, the non-ionic surfactant comprises apolyethylene glycol.

In some embodiments, the hydrosol further includes a plasticizer,wherein the plasticizer is dispersed in water with the polylactic acidpolymer powder and the non-ionic surfactant. In such embodiments, thehydrosol can include an Octyl phenol ethoxylate, wherein the Octylphenol ethoxylate is both the non-ionic surfactant and the plasticizer.The plasticizer can be selected from the group consisting of apolyethylene glycol, a polypropylene glycol, a fatty acid ester, acitric acid ester, a lactide monomer, an epoxidised oil, an adipateester, an azealate ester, an acetylated coconut oil, an Octyl phenolethoxylate, and any combinations thereof.

In one embodiment, the hydrosol further includes at least one of adefoaming agent, a cross-linking agent, a chain extender, an aging andhydrolytic stabilizer for PLA, a flavoring component, an antimicrobialagent, a detackifying agent, a botanical extract, a donning enhancingagent, a colorant component, and a therapeutic component.

Other aspects, objectives and advantages of the invention will becomemore apparent from the following detailed description when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of thespecification illustrate several aspects of the present invention and,together with the description, serve to explain the principles of theinvention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a glove according to an embodiment ofthe present invention showing an outer surface thereof and an inner orwearer-contacting surface thereof;

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a method of making the glove of FIG. 1 usinga PLA hydrosol according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of a portion of the glove of FIG. 1having a single layer according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

While the invention will be described in connection with certainpreferred embodiments, there is no intent to limit it to thoseembodiments. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives,modifications and equivalents as included within the spirit and scope ofthe invention as defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following disclosure will detail particular embodiments according tothe present invention, which provide biodegradable thin articles andmethods of making the same. More particularly, hydrosols includingpolylactide (PLA), which are suitable for making thin flexible articles,such as gloves, condoms, catheters, etc., using dip forming orrotational casting type processes and methods of making the same areprovided. Although, the PLA hydrosols of embodiments presented hereinare particularly suitable for forming flexible articles, in otherembodiments, the PLA hydrosol can also be used to form rigid film(s) orarticle(s).

It has been known that degradation of polylactide occurs in the presenceof water at elevated temperatures. Therefore, manufacturing processes ofpolymeric articles using PLA hydrosols, which are essentially PLAdispersion in water, were unknown as such processes require acombination of PLA, water, and elevated temperatures. Despite, thisconventional wisdom, embodiments of the present invention providesmethods of making biodegradable articles using PLA hydrosols.

A flexible elastomer article (herein also “article” or “articles” or“flexible articles” or “flexible article” or flexible (articles)) of thepresent invention has at least one layer of an elastomer comprisingpolylactide (PLA). The article has a wearer contacting surface and anopposite distal surface. The distal surface is disposed as the mostopposite surface to the wearer contacting surface. (The distal surfaceis disposed distal to the wearer contacting surface.) In some instancesfor certain articles, the distal surface is referred to as the outersurface or outer distal surface. However, for some articles, such ascatheters, the distal surface may be the innermost surface.

The flexible article(s) of the present invention include, but are notlimited to, a glove (reusable or disposable), a catheter, a stent or anincontinence device having a sheath or sheath type construction, acondom, a cervical cap, a diaphragm, a dental dam, an elastomer sheet, asheath or tube for use with a medical device, a finger cot, or a balloonfor use in a medical device (such as, but not limited to, a balloon usedwith a balloon catheter, a urinary catheter, a rectal catheter, anendotracheal tube, a feeding tube, or a cardiac catheter).

FIG. 1 shows an elastomeric article in the form of a glove 100 accordingto an embodiment of the present invention. The glove 100 includes anoutside surface (distal surface or outer distal surface or outermostsurface) 102 and an inside or wearer-contacting surface 104. It will beappreciated by those skilled in the art, for purposes of the followingdiscussion, the glove 100 may be a single layer glove, a bilaminar glove(two layers), and/or a multilayer glove wherein the exterior appearanceof the glove 100 is substantially similar to that shown in FIG. 1,having an outside surface 102 and wearer-contacting surface 104.

The glove 100 is a biodegradable glove, wherein an elastomeric materialof the glove 100 is formed from a polylactide hydrosol. The polylactidehydrosol is a waterborne dispersion comprising polylactide polymers. Inone embodiment, the polylactide hydrosol is prepared by dispersing apolylactide polymer powder, a non-ionic surfactant, and water. In someembodiments, the polylactide hydrosol also includes a plasticizercompatible with the polylactide polymer.

The polylatide polymer can comprise polymers of lactic acid or lactide,the repeating unit could be L-lactide, D-lactide, or meso lactide, or Ror S lactic acid and/or copolymers of D, L, or meso lactide monomers orR or S lactic acid monomers. Depending on the structure of the PLA, itcan be amorphous, crystalline or a mixture of both. Monomers that makeup the polylactic acid polymer can be about 1% to about 100% L-lactidemonomer, with the remaining monomer selected from, but not limited to, Dlactide, meso D,L lactide, D,L lactide monomers, and combinationsthereof. Consistent with the broader aspects of the present invention,the polylactic acid polymer component 110 can be any homopolymer oflactic acid and/or a block, graft, random, copolymer, and/or apolyblend/elastomeric blend of lactic acid, including, D polylacticacid, L polylactic acid, D,L polylactic acid, meso polylactic acid, andany combination of D polylactic acid, L polylactic acid, D,L polylacticacid, and meso polylactic acid. Examples of such polymers includeIngeograde PLA polymer pellets from NatureWorks LLC and Ecorene PLApowders from ICO Polymers. In other embodiments, the hydrosol caninclude copolymers of PLA or blends with other biodegradable polymers.

The particular weight percent of L lactide, D lactide, meso D,L Lactide,and/or D,L lactide monomer utilized in a polymer dispersed in apolylactide hydrosol of the present invention can depend on a given enduse application of a flexible article to be formed, e.g. the physicaland/or permeability requirements of the flexible article, the amountand/or type of plasticizer utilized and/or a specified degradation raterequired for the flexible article after disposal.

Indeed, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a higherconcentration of D lactide monomer included within the polylactic acidpolymer can result in a polymer of greater crystallinity, yielding ahigher tensile strength and lowering the elongation modulus of theflexible article such as a glove. As such, the concentration of aparticular lactide monomer can be varied, as a matter of design choice,depending on the desired physical, chemical and/or degradationproperties required for the particular application.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating a method of making a glove 200according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method 200generally includes steps of preparing a PLA powder 202, adding anon-ionic surfactant 204, dispersing the PLA powder and the non-ionicsurfactant in water to form a hydrosol 206, pre-warming a glove former212, dipping the pre-warmed former in the hydrosol 214, drying thehydrosol deposited on the former to evaporate water 216, fusing the PLApolymer 218, and peeling off the glove formed on the former 224. In someembodiments, the method 200 can include optional steps of adding aplasticizer 208 and other additives 210 in the PLA hydrosol. Further,the dipping and drying steps can be repeated 218, 220 to form multilayergloves.

The polylactide (PLA) polymer powder can be prepared via variousgrinding or pulverizing techniques. Grinding of PLA polymer pellets canbe carried out at ambient or cryogenic temperatures, preferably, at atemperature substantially below the glass transition temperature of thePLA polymer. In one embodiment, the PLA polymer is obtained in the formof pellets and processed into powder by cryogenic milling. In otherembodiments, other suitable size reduction techniques such as ambientmilling, jet milling, and/or micro grinding techniques can be used toprepare the PLA powder. The grinding technique can be selected accordingto the characteristics of the PLA polymer and a desired range ofparticle size. For example, a PLA polymer having a low glass transitiontemperature may require cryogenic milling. In one embodiment, the PLApowder has an average particle size below 1000 microns, preferably below100 microns, more preferably below 50 microns.

The PLA powder is dispersed in water with a non-ionic surfactant to forma PLA hydrosol. The dispersions can be made using a high shear blenderor a rotor/stator assembly or a homogenizer such as IKA Ultra TurraxT-25 available from IKA Works, Inc. to form a fine dispersion orhydrosol. Surprisingly, such PLA hydrosol forms strong stable thincoherent films after drying and fusing when cast or dip formed into athin article.

In one embodiment, a stable hydrosol can be made from the PLA powder bydispersing the powder in water in the presence of a non-ionic surfactantand using a homogenizer or disperser. Preferably, the non-ionicsurfactant that is compatible with the PLA polymer is selected. Further,the non-ionic surfactant is preferably substantially biodegradable. Asuitable non-ionic surfactant includes Octyl phenol ethoxylates wherethe hydrophilic repeat unit x varies from x=4.5 to x=55. Lower the xvalue, less soluble it is in water. The hydrocarbon group R is commonlyOctyl, but other hydrocarbon groups can be substituted as long as thesubstituted surfactant is compatible with the selected PLA powder andstable in the dispersion. Other suitable non-ionic surfactants include,but not limited to, certain polyethylene glycols such as Carbowax™ 3300,Carbowax™ 8000, Carbowax™ 20000 available through the Dow ChemicalCompany and the like. Other surfactants known in the art are equallysuitable if it forms a stable dispersion and does not substantiallydegrade the polymer during use.

In one embodiment, a plasticizer is added in the hydrosol formulation.The plasticizer is preferably substantially biodegradable. A suitableplasticizer includes, but not limited to, polyethylene glycol,polypropylene glycol, fatty acid esters, citric acid esters such asacetyl tributyl citrate, triethyl citrate, acetyl triethyl citrate,lactide monomer, epoxidised oils such as epoxidsied soybean oil,epoxidised linseed oils, adipate esters, azealate esters, acetylatedcoconut oil, and the like. Octyl phenol ethoxylate , which was discussedabove as a suitable non-ionic surfactant for dispersing PLA powder inwater, has not been known as a plasticizer for polymeric formulationsfor forming elastomeric articles. Surprisingly, experiments have shownthat Octyl phenol ethoxylate type compounds can also plasticize the PLA.Therefore, in some embodiments, Octyl phenol ethoxylates can provide adual function in the PLA hydrosol as a non-ionic surfactant and aplasticizer. Such hydrosol can produce highly biodegradable thinarticles. Other compounds such as polyethylene glycols can also be usedas both a non-ionic surfactant and a plasticizer in forming a PLAhydrosol.

Other additives such as defoaming agents, cross-linking agents, chainextenders, aging and hydrolytic stabilizers for PLA could also be addedto the PLA hydrosol, if desired, to improve processability and physicalproperties, and to control aging and biodegradability.

In one embodiment, a PLA hydrosol is prepared by dispersing a polylacticacid polymer powder and an Octyl phenol ethoxylate in water, wherein thehydrosol includes between about 30-40% by weight of the polylactic acidpolymer powder, between about 0.3-3% by weight of the Octyl phenolethoxylate, and between about 60-70% by weight of water. A rigid filmcan be formed by casting a film using the such PLA hydrosol, drying at atemperature between about 65° C.-90° C. to evaporate water from the PLAhydrosol, and fusing the film at a temperature between about 125°C.-200° C.

In another embodiment, a PLA hydrosol is prepared by dispersing apolylactic acid polymer powder and an Octyl phenol ethoxylate in waterto form a hydrosol, wherein the hydrosol includes between about 20-40%by weight of the polylactic acid polymer powder, between about 5-20% byweight of the Octyl phenol ethoxylate, and between about 40-70% byweight of water. A flexible elastomeric glove can be formed using thesuch PLA hydrosol by heating a glove former to a temperature betweenabout 60° C.-75° C., dipping the pre-warmed glove former into thehydrosol, drying the hydrosol deposited on the glove former at atemperature between about 65° C.-90° C. to evaporate water, and fusingthe elastomeric layer formed from the PLA hydrosol at a temperaturebetween about 125° C.-200° C.

Depending on desired characteristics of a thin article, the viscosity ofthe PLA hydrosol can be controlled by adjusting an amount of water,selecting a particular plasticizer type, controlling an amount of theplasticizer, and selecting a particular surfactant. For example, whenmaking a glove by dipping a former into a PLA hydrosol, the thickness ofthe glove can be controlled by adjusting the viscosity, dipping androtational speed and duration, etc. A thicker glove can be obtained byincreasing the viscosity of the PLA hydrosol.

In one embodiment, the glove 100 can be formed using a glove former. Forexample, the step of pre-warming a glove former 212 can include heatinga ceramic or aluminum glove former of a desired size to about 60° C. to75° C. The pre-warmed glove former can then be gently immersed in thePLA hydrosol to produce a continuous uniform deposit of the dispersionon the former in the step 214. The former can be subjected to arotational and wavy motion to distribute the dispersion evenly on theformer.

In one embodiment, an elastomeric layer formed by such dipping processis about 0.03 to 2 millimeters thick. The thickness of the elastomericlayer can be controlled by adjusting various process parameters such asviscosity of the PLA hydrosol, duration of the former immersed in thePLA hydrosol, rotational speed of the former, etc. The dipped gloveformer is heated to a moderate temperature to evaporate water in thestep 216 of FIG. 2. In one embodiment, the glove is dried at atemperature between about 65° C. and about 90° C. By evaporating waterat such moderate drying temperatures, the hydrolytic degradation of thePLA polymer, which occurs at higher temperatures, can be minimized.

After water in the PLA hydrosol deposited on the former has beenevaporated in the drying step 216, the PLA layer formed on the gloveformer is fused at a higher temperature in the step 222. In oneembodiment, the PLA layer is heated to between about 125° C. and about200° C. for several minutes. The temperature and duration of the fusingstep 222 depend on a formulation of the PLA hydrosol. For example,highly plasticized compositions and those containing amorphous PLA fusesat a lower temperature than an unplasticized and crystalline PLA. Thefusion temperature is normally substantially above a glass transitiontemperature of the PLA composition.

After the PLA polymer has been fused, the glove 100 can be peeled offfrom the glove former. The glove 100 formed according to this embodimenthas a single layer 108 as shown in FIG. 3. In one embodiment, whereinthe PLA hydrosol is formed by dispersing a PLA powder in the presence ofOctyl phenol ethoxylate in water, wherein Octyl phenol ethoxylate actsas both a non-ionic surfactant and a plasticizer, the layer 108comprises a PLA component 110 and an Octyl phenol ethoxylate 112component.

Further, consistent with the broader aspects of the present invention,the layer 108 may include additional components incorporated into theelastomeric component of the glove 100, or coated on one or moresurfaces 102, 104 of the glove 100. For example, the PLA hydrosol can beprepared to include flavoring agents, detackifying agents, donningenhancing agents, and/or botanical components. For example, xylitol asdescribed in more detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/138,193,and Aloe extract and Nopal extract as described in more detail in U.S.Pat. Nos. 7,455,863 and 7,585,526 and U.S. Patent Publication No.2005/0037054, which are assigned to the assignee of the present patentapplication and incorporated herein by reference, can be mixed in thePLA hydrosol to form the glove 100.

In addition, the PLA hydrosol for forming the glove 100 can beformulated to include one or more therapeutic components having one ormore therapeutic components having one or more qualities of woundhealing, anti-inflammatory properties, and anti-microbial properties. Inaddition, the layer 108 of the glove 100 can be colored by including acolorant in the PLA hydrosol. Such components are selected to becompatible with the PLA polymer and other components in the PLA hydrosolsuch as the non-ionic surfactant and the plasticizer.

In other embodiments, the glove 100 can be coated with one or moreoptional components after the fusing step 222. The optional coatingcomponents can include, but not limited to, flavoring, xylitol, Aloe,Nopal, vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B₃, vitamin B₅, jojoba,rose hip, tea tree oil, flax seed oil, palm oil, and/or actylsalicylicacid.

In other embodiments, the dipping process can be repeated prior to thefusing step 222 to form a multilayer glove as shown in steps 218 and 220of the method 200. For example, the dipping and drying process can berepeated three times to form a 3-layer glove. Each of the layers can beformed of a same PLA hydrosol or different PLA hydrosols. In oneembodiment, the pre-warmed former can be dipped in a first PLA hydrosoland dried, then subsequently dipped into a second PLA hydrosol that is adifferent formulation than the first PLA hydrosol to form a 2-layerglove having different PLA hydrosol formulation layers.

In one embodiment, a glove is formed from a PLA hydrosol. The gloveincludes at least one layer of an elastomeric material that includes apolylactic acid polymer between about 50%-99% by weight and the Octylphenol ethoxylate between about 1%-50% by weight. In another embodiment,a biodegradable glove includes a plurality of layers of an elastomericmaterial, and each of the layers of the elastomeric material includes apolylactic acid polymer and a non-ionic surfactant. The glove can be adisposable medical glove.

EXAMPLES

The following examples illustrate applications and practices accordingto embodiments of the present invention. These examples are presented byway of illustration and not of limitation.

Example 1 Rigid PLA Film

A PLA hydrosol is made by blending and homogenizing 22 g of Ecorene™NW31-100 powder available through ICO Polymers, 0.5 g of Triton™ X-100(Octyl phenol ethoxylate) available through Dow Chemical Company, and 40g of water in an IKA Ultra Turrax T-25 rotor/stator assembly. A thinlayer of the PLA hydrosol is deposited on a lab scale cast aluminumplate. The PLA formed a clear strong coherent rigid film, after dryingand fusion of the dispersion after deposition on the aluminum plate.

Example 2 Flexible Octyl Phenol Ethoxylate Plasticized Film

A PLA hydrosol is prepared by blending and homogenizing 27.4 g ofEcorene NW61-100 PLA powder, 16.5 g of Triton X-100 (Octyl phenolethoxylate) and 59 g of water in an IKA Ultra Turrax T-25. A thin layerof the PLA hydrosol is deposited on a lab scale cast aluminum plate. ThePLA hydrosol on the plate was dried in an oven at about 85° C., thenfused at 125° C. The PLA formed a clear, strong, and flexible film.

A PLA hydrosol is prepared by blending and homogenizing 28 g of EcoreneNW61-100 PLA powder, 16 g of Triton X-100 (Octyl phenolethoxylate) and56 g of water in an IKA Ultra Turrax T-25. The dispersion is degassed invacuum. A ceramic plate was pre-heated to 85° C.-90° C., then gentlydipped into the PLA hydrosol and repeated one more time after partialdrying to obtain a thick film. The film is then dried at about 85° C.and fused at 125° C. in an oven for 20 minutes. The film formed isclear, strong and flexible as the cast film above.

Example 3 Variation of Flexible Octyl Phenol Ethoxylate Plasticized Film

A PLA hydrosol is prepared by blending and homogenizing 20 g of EcoreneNW61-100 PLA powder, 5 g of Triton X-100 (Octyl phenolethoxylate) and 35g of water in an IKA Ultra Turrax T-25. The film required higher fusiontemperature than the cast film in Example 2 to form a coherent film.

Example 4 Variation of Flexible Octyl Phenol Ethoxylate Plasticized Film

A PLA hydrosol is prepared by blending and homogenizing 30 g of EcoreneNW61-100 PLA powder, 20 g of Triton X-100 (Octyl phenolethoxylate) and70 g of water in an IKA Ultra Turrax T-25. The film is dried and fusedas the cast film in Example 2. The film formed is clear and moreflexible than in Example 3.

Example 5 Flexible Polyethylene Glycols Plasticized PLA Film

A PLA hydrosol is prepared by blending and homogenizing 20 g of EcoreneNW61-100 PLA powder, 5.3 g of PEG 400 (polyethylene glycol), 0.5 g ofTriton X-100 and 35 g of water in an IKA Ultra Turrax T-25. A thin layerof the PLA hydrosol is deposited on a lab scale cast aluminum plate. ThePLA hydrosol on the plate was dried at about 85° C. and fused at 125° C.in an oven for about 20 minutes. The film was clear and flexible butshowed a slight oily surface texture.

Examples 6 Variation of Flexible Polyethylene Glycols Plasticized PLAFilm

A PLA hydrosol is prepared by blending and homogenizing 20 g of EcoreneNW61-100 PLA powder, 5 g of PEG 3350, 0.5 g of Triton X-100 and 38 g ofwater in an IKA Ultra Turrax T-25. The film prepared after degassing,drying and fusion indicated a flexible, slightly waxy texture.

Examples 7 Variation of Flexible Polyethylene Glycols Plasticized PLAFilm

A PLA hydrosol is prepared by blending and homogenizing 20 g of EcoreneNW61-100 PLA powder, 5 g of PEG 800, 0.5 g of Triton X-100 and 38 g ofwater in an IKA Ultra Turrax T-25. The film is coherent, clear andflexible.

Examples 8 Variation of Flexible Polyethylene Glycols Plasticized PLAFilm

A PLA hydrosol is prepared by blending and homogenizing 20 g of EcoreneNW61-100 PLA powder, 5 g of PEG 20000, 0.5 g of Triton X-100 and 38 g ofwater in an IKA Ultra Turrax T-25. The film is coherent, clear andflexible.

Examples 9 Flexible Citrate Ester Plasticized PLA Film

A PLA hydrosol is prepared with 20 g of Ecorene NW31-100 PLA powder, 5 gof Citroflex A4 (available through Vertellus Specialties Inc.), 0.7 g ofTriton X-100 and 35 g of water. The film prepared after drying andfusion formed is clear and flexible. The film has a slight oily texture.

Examples 10 Variation of Flexible Citrate Ester Plasticized PLA Film

A PLA hydrosol is prepared with 20 g of Ecorene NW31-100 PLA powder, 10g of Citroflex A4 (available through Vertellus Specialties Inc.), 0.7 gof Triton X-100 and 35 g of water. A flexible film is formed afterdrying and fusion.

Examples 11 Variation of Flexible Citrate Ester Plasticized PLA Film

A PLA hydrosol is prepared with 20 g of Ecorene NW31-100 PLA powder, 20g of Citroflex A4 (available through Vertellus Specialties Inc.), 0.7 gof Triton X-100 and 35 g of water. The film prepared is very flexiblebut the plasticizer seem to migrate out of the film on standing.

Example 12 Flexible PLA Film with Multiple Plasticizers

A PLA hydrosol is prepared with 12 g of Ecorene NW31-100 PLA powder, 4.8g of Ecorene NW61-100 PLA powder, 9.6 g of Citroflex A4, 8.4 g of PEG400, 2 g of Triton X-100 and 45 g of water. The PLA hydrosol displayed ahigh viscosity. A film cast from it is flexible and clear after dryingand fusion.

All references, including publications, patent applications, and patentscited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent asif each reference were individually and specifically indicated to beincorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.

The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in thecontext of describing the invention (especially in the context of thefollowing claims) is to be construed to cover both the singular and theplural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted bycontext. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing”are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, butnot limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of valuesherein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referringindividually to each separate value falling within the range, unlessotherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated intothe specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methodsdescribed herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwiseindicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The useof any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”)provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the inventionand does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unlessotherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construedas indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice ofthe invention.

Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, includingthe best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention.Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to thoseof ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. Theinventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations asappropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practicedotherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, thisinvention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subjectmatter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicablelaw. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in allpossible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unlessotherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

What is claimed is:
 1. A glove comprising: at least one layer of anelastomeric material, wherein the elastomeric material comprises: apolylactic acid polymer; and a non-ionic surfactant, wherein thenon-ionic surfactant comprises an octyl phenol ethoxylate.
 2. The gloveof claim 1, wherein the polylactic acid polymer is selected from thegroup consisting of D polylactic acid, L polylactic acid, D,L polylacticacid, meso polylactic acid, and any combinations thereof.
 3. The gloveof claim 1, wherein the elastomeric material includes the polylacticacid polymer between about 50%-99% by weight and the Octyl phenolethoxylate between about 1%-50% by weight.
 4. The glove of claim 1,wherein the non-ionic surfactant further comprises a polyethyleneglycol.
 5. The glove of claim 1, wherein the glove is a biodegradableglove comprising a plurality of layers of an elastomeric material, eachof the layers of the elastomeric material comprising the polylactic acidpolymer and the non-ionic surfactant.
 6. The glove of claim 1, whereinthe glove is a disposable medical glove.